From December 27 to December 31, 2017, all the members of the Paraclete Province of the United States and the Caribbean gathered at the Convent of the Holy Spirit for the Provincial Chapter. A Chapter represents the higher authority of a religious Province and where we evaluate our life and missionary service as Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters and make plans for the future.

Peace Camp's Final Program!

On July 29, the Holy Spirit Life Learning Center's Peace Camp held their last day of camp for the summer, ending with a final program in the evening where all of the parents watched their children perform songs, skits, and dances. Everyone had a blast and we're so grateful for another successful Summer Peace Camp!

Peace Camp Goes to Wagner Farm!

On July 14, the Holy Spirit Life Learning Center's Summer Peace Camp took a field trip to Wagner Farm in Glenview, IL. We saw cows, horses, chickens, pigs, corn stalks, gardens, tractors, and more!

Province Days!

August 25-27 was Province Days at the Convent of the Holy Spirit! SSpS Sisters from throughout the U.S. and Caribbean communities joined us in Northfield, IL to celebrate Province Days through sharing stories of creation, singing, prayer, and reflection. It was a wonderful three days to praise creation, care for creation, and enjoy creation!

Sr. Skolastika Renews Vows

On Sunday, June 26, 2016, Sr. Skolastika Wea renewed her vows at the Convent of the Holy Spirit in Northfield, IL.

Congrats, Jubilarians!

On May 22 Srs. Francetta Kunkel and Dominic Bartsch celebrated their 70th Jubilee. Srs. Marie Angela Risi and Mathilde Steffens celebrated their 65th Jubilee. And Srs. Dolores Marie Kuhl and Leonette Kaluzny celebrated their 60th Jubilee. We are very grateful for their many years of dedicated service to the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters and to the people they served throughout those years. Congratulations Sisters!

Rest in Peace, Sr. Mary Jane

Our dear Sr. Mary Jane Lusson passed into eternity on May 6 at the Convent of the Holy Spirit in Northfield. Please remember our Sister Mary Jane in your prayers who died in the 94th year of life and in her 70 years (and 10 months) of religious missionary profession.

Safe Travels, Sr. Gladys!

On Monday, February 22, Sr. Gladys Smith will be leaving for Argentina. We are very grateful for all of her missionary service in our U.S. Province and we wish her many blessings in her missionary journey in her province of Argentina South.

Rest in Peace, Sr. Maria

Our dear Sr. Maria Fischer passed into eternity on Saturday, February 6, 2016 in her 98th year of life at the Convent of the Holy Spirit. Please remember Sr. Maria in your prayers.

On January 31, 2016 Sr. Claudia Paola Benitez, SSpS renewed her vows at Divine Word College in Epworth, IA. The celebrant was Fr. Alejandro De La Sotta, SVD, and Fr. Thang Cao Hoang, SVD gave the homily. Congratulations Sr. Paola!

Welcome Sr. Elsa!

Sr. Elsa Loekito arrived at the Convent of the Holy Spirit on Saturday, January 30, from the SSpS Australia Province. She will be studying at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Welcome Sr. Elsa!

International Food Festival

On January 24, the Grayslake, Waukegan and Rogers Park Communities participated in St. Gilbert’s Annual International Food Festival in Grayslake, IL. The festival involves many parishioners of various national, ethnic, and racial backgrounds. Together we contributed food from 9 different countries! A big thanks to all the helpers and participants!

SSpS/SVD Christmas Get Together

On January 6, the SVDs came to the Convent of the Holy Spirit to have a post-Christmas get together. We had Mass at 5pm, followed by supper and recreation.

Sr. Margaret Simon Turns 101!

On December 27th Sr. Margaret Simon turned 101-years-old! She celebrated her birthday with the Sisters, as well as her brother, nephew, and friend who came to visit her at the Convent. Happy Birthday Sr. Margaret!

Enneagram Workshop

Sr. Anneliese Heine, from Germany, gave a workshop on the Enneagram from December 21-22. She also facilitated our Province Election Assembly.

Farewell, Sr. Geno!

Sr. Genobeba da Costa Amaral will be going back to Indonesia next week. We are grateful for her time with us and we were so proud to see her graduate. We wish her the best in her ministry back home in Indonesia.

Rest in Peace, Sr. Maryellen

On Friday December 11, 2015 Sr. Maryellen Drasler, SSpS passed away peacefully at the Convent of the Holy Spirit at the age of 93. She was born on March 22, 1922 in Waukegan, IL. Sr. Maryellen dreamed of entering the convent ever since her First Communion and in 1943 she professed her First Vows. She was a hard worker and never without a beautiful smile on her face.

On Sunday, December 6, 2015 the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters hosted their annual Christmas party for the employees at the Convent of the Holy Spirit. There was amazing live music, delicious food, and awards for five lucky employees!

Life Learning Center's Winter Sale

The Holy Spirit Life Learning Center is having a Winter Sale on Sunday, December 6th from 12:00-4:00pm. The sale will feature a variety of handcrafted items by the students in our knitting/crocheting class. All proceeds from the sale will go to support the Center's programs. The address is 2020 W. Morse Ave. For questions, please call 773-764-3000. We hope to see you there!

Thanksgiving Celebration

On November 20th the Holy Spirit Life Learning Center hosted a Thanksgiving Celebration. The students, their children, volunteers, and staff came together to give thanks for all the blessings they experienced during the year.

National Catholic Youth Conference

Srs. Dorota Piechaczak and Edel Deong just arrived in Indianapolis and are ready for the National Catholic Youth Conference from Nov. 19 - 21, 2015! Please pray for them.

The Heartsingers

The Heartsingers came to perform for the Sisters at the Convent of the Holy Spirit on Sunday, November 15. It was a beautiful performance!

Chris and Rachel Hard at Work

Chris and Rachel moved to St. Kitts last month to volunteer with our SSpS Community and they are already hard at work! Here, Rachel is working with some of the neighborhood youth at the weekly "Kids Club." They have also been working with the Holy Spirit Catholic Preschool, substitute teaching and getting to know the children.

Welcome Sr. Antonia!

Sr. Antonia Schmid arrived at the Convent of the Holy Spirit on November 2 and she will be staying in our Northfield Community for 3 months before going back to Germany. When asked if she was enjoying her stay, she replied, "It's great! I didn't expect how welcomed I would feel. Everything is open here, including the spirit in this house. My favorite place is the chapel - it's very open and colorful, which is good because internationality is colorful so I love it here."

Celebration of New Life

We hosted a Celebration of New Life to benefit the mothers and mothers-to-be at Aid For Women on October 17. The event began with a speaker from Aid for Women and a prayer service, and ended with refreshments and entertainment at the Convent. We were so grateful to the Sisters who helped sew baby blankets, to the employees and others who donated clothes, diapers and toys, and to Sr. Pat Snider for organizing the event.

Welcome Fabienne!

We would like to welcome Fabienne Fritzsching, our newest MaZ Volunteer from Germany. Fabienne arrived on September 13. She will be staying in the Rogers Park Community for the next year while volunteering at the Holy Spirit Life Learning Center. Welcome!

Sr. Salud Renews Vows

On September 8 Sr. Salud Osornio renewed her vows in the Convent of the Holy Spirit Sisters "Oasis del Espiritu" in Misiones, Argentina. The priest who celebrated the mass was Fr. Hector Maldonado, SVD. Congratulations Sr. Salud!

Sr. Uloma Renews Vows

We congratulate Sr. Uloma Akpa who renewed her Fifth Vows on Sunday, September 6, at Immaculate Conception Church in Waukegan, IL. Sr. Uloma expressed her gratefulness to all those who touched her life and have supported her in her call to follow Christ.

New Volunteers in St. Kitts

Rachel Gilman and Chris Keeney visited our community in St. Kitts in August to see the possibilities of getting involved in our ministries here with the people of St. Kitts. For the blessings of new friends and collaborators, we thank God.

Sr. Rebecca Renews Vows

We congratulate Sr. Rebecca Chaan David who renewed her Third Vows on Sunday, August 30, at St. Clement's Parish in Bankston, Iowa. Thank you to all who helped make this day a special one for Sr. Rebecca!

Welcome Riccarda!

We would like to welcome our new MaZ volunteer, Riccarda Bodlak! Riccarda arrived from Austria on August 20 and will be here for the next year. She will be staying in the St. Kitts Community and volunteering at the Holy Spirit Catholic Preschool. We are so happy to have you here!

Goodbye Sr. Nelly!

Goodbye Sr. Nelly Boonen (on the left)! We hope you enjoyed your stay in the U.S. Thank you for teaching us about restorative justice and sharing your work with us. Safe travels back to Brazil!

Goodbye Clara!

After staying with us in our Rogers Park Community for the past year through the MaZ Program, Clara Mersch will be leaving.Thank you for your dedicated service to the Sisters and to the Holy Spirit Life Learning Center. We are so grateful and proud of everything you have accomplished this year. Good luck with your studies back in Germany!

Sr. Sara Renews Vows

On Sunday, August 23, Sr. Sara Guardado renewed her vows at Blessed Sacrament Church in Memphis, TN, surrounded by Sisters, friends, and co-workers. Congratulations, Sr. Sara!

Vocation Youth Workshop

The Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters invited youth from churches throughout Memphis, TN to participate in a workshop to share on the topic of Christian Vocation. It took place Saturday, August 22, at Blessed Sacrament Church in Memphis.

Welcome Sr. Paola!

We would like to welcome Junior Sister, Claudia Paola Benitez to our province. Sr. Paola will be coming to the U.S. on Sunday, August 9, from Misiones, Argentina to learn English for one year. She will be staying in the Grayslake Community and studying at the College of Lake County. Welcome Sr. Paola, we are so happy to have you here!

Cultural Orientation Workshop

The week of August 2 the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters and the Society of the Divine Word held their annual Cultural Orientation Workshop, also known as COW. The week included daily prayer service, cultural workshops such as civic law and immigration issues, and a trip to the city.

Peace Camp

On July 30, the Holy Spirit Life Learning Center held their End of Summer Program for their first-ever Peace Camp. The kids performed puppet shows for the parents discussing themes of nonviolence and conflict resolution.

Emmaus Gathering

On July 19, the Emmaus Group (Sisters in finals vows, ages 25 to 60) gathered in Northfield, IL to share God’s love and joy through prayer, music, faith sharing and recreation.

Assembly Chapter

“To take us forward as a province, the assembly chapter was a shared time accompanied by God in mutual listening, dialogue and decision making.” - Sr. Anita Marie Gutierrez, SSpS

Joint Jubilee

The Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters, Sisters of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration, and the Society of the Divine Word celebrated our Joint Jubilee on July 18 at Techny Towers.

Vacation Bible School

In the beginning of June, a group of Sisters travelled to the South to lead Vacation Bible School. They went to Greenville, Mississippi and Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

This week ladies from St. Norbert came to sort and pack all of the donations the churches have been collecting to send to Jamaica. Many thanks to Sr. Mary Miller and Mark Kelly, who are overseeing the project, and to the generous people of St. Norbert and OLPH for their contributions!

Sr. Xaveriana Graduates

Sr. Xaveriana Ngene graduated on Sunday, May 24, from Carthage College with her Bachelor degree in Social Work. Congratulations!

HSMA Prayer Day

The Holy Spirit Missionary Association (HSMA) met on Saturday, May 16, for a Prayer Day. We are so grateful for all of our HSMA members.

Welcome Sr. Nelly!

Sr. Petronella (Nelly) Boonen, from Brazil, will be joining our Rogers Park Community here in the US to study English. She arrives on Friday, May 15. Welcome Sr. Nelly!

Sr. Genobeba Graduates

Sr. Genobeba Amaral graduated on Thursday, May 14, from Catholic Theological Union with her Master of Arts in Justice Ministry, with a focus on Reconciliation and Peace Building. Congratulations!

Sr. Yuliana Graduates

Sr. Yuliana Meno graduated on Tuesday, May 5, from Loyola University Chicago with her Master of Arts in Religious Education. Congratulations!

HSLLC Open House

The Holy Spirit Life Learning Center is having their Open House on Sunday, May 17 from 2:00 - 6:00 pm. We would love it if you could join us.

Welcome Sr. Clara!

We welcome Sr. Clara Harumi Machimura, from Japan, into our province. She will be joining the Epworth Community at the end of May.

Rest in Peace, Sr. Maryann

Sr. Maryann Regensburger, SSpS passed away on April 14th at 1:00am at the Convent of the Holy Spirit. She had just celebrated her 92nd birthday. Her Mass of Remembrance was on Saturday, April 18th. She served the people of St. Therese Hospital for over 30 years in various roles, including Local Superior and Administrator of the hospital.

ESL and several other classes will be offered during the Spring Session at the Holy Spirit Life Learning Center. For more information, email hsllcenter@gmail.com or to view the entire schedule click here.

Our Novices in Rome

These are our novices in Rome! Let us support them and keep them in our prayers.

Congratulations Sr. Adriana!

Sr. Adriana Milmanda finished her Master of Arts in Theological Research from the Catholic Theological Union and will be going back to Argentina on March 2 to continue her ministry in her province. Congrats!

Welcome Marie!

Marie Eunide Voltaire, from Haiti, joined our community in Antigua on February 18. She will share life and mission with our Sisters in Antigua.

Mardi Gras Celebrations!

Before the ritual of the Lenten Season began, on Tuesday, February 17, the Sisters celebrated Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) at the Convent of the Holy Spirit. As you can see, the Sisters wore masks and costumes. There was also music and the ever-popular Mardi Gras parade.

Holy Spirit Life Learning Center Hosts Immigration Workshops

Together with immigration attorney Zhulmira Paredes, the Holy Spirit Life Learning Center hosted two workshops on February 7 and February 11 to provide information about the executive actions on immigration announced by President Obama on November 20, 2014. We are very happy for those families who will benefit from the executive actions. The next immigration workshop will be held on March 4 at 6:30pm and will be in Spanish.

The Sisters Meet Bishop Cupich

As part of the year of Consecrated Life declared by Pope Francis, the Archdiocese of Chicago celebrated Consecrated Life Day on February 7 at St. John Brebeuf, Niles, IL. A crowd of 700 religious, including some of our Sisters, gathered to listen and interact with our newly installed Archbishop Blasé Cupich.

Sr. Adriana Milmanda Participates in Intercultural Workshop

From January 18 to February 1, 2015, Sr. Adriana Milmanda participated in a Workshop for Training Intercultural Resource Persons in the Ad-Gentes Center in Nemi, Italy. Four other SSpS joined her, as well as the SVDs who conducted the workshop. The group was highly diverse regarding cultures of origin, mission experiences, ministries, and educational background. Sr. Adriana shared her experience with the community back in the US.

Sr. Evelyn Lobo Entrance to Novitiate

On January 1st, we gathered in a simple but solemn celebration to mark the formal entrance of Evelyn Lobo into our Novitiate. As a novice of our province we send her to take part in the novitiate in Rome to learn about and share the life and mission of the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit.